Two Step
by bandanaye
Summary: DISCONTINUED
1. Audition

Warnings: OOC characters, modern AU, sexy times in later chapters, that great combination of fluff and teenage angst

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroshitsuji

* * *

Chapter One

Audition

* * *

Not a second after Ciel killed the ignition Alois was out of the car and springing to the driver's side, flailing his arms like a blinded bird and bouncing on his toes in anticipation. "Come on, Ciel! Hurry, hurry, hurry; we're already late!"

Getting out the car and pocketing his keys, Alois snatched his arm and practically ran across the busy parking lot, not caring of other cars or people, and hardly taking his time to look both ways before crossing the even busier street. Wrenching his arm away once they stood in front of the hotel entrance, Ciel forcefully grabbed the blonde by the back of his collar.

"What are you trying to do, get me killed?" He was out of breath but managed to cut Alois off with a shake. "I hardly think this audition is worth my life you know."

A large smile he knew all too well spread across Alois' face and within seconds Ciel was caught in a crushing hug. "Well to be honest you make a close second for today…"

"Are you seri-"

Taking Ciel's hand mid-sentence Alois' ice blue eyes sparkled. "Now come on! You're supposed to be my moral support today – you promised!" As if to make his point, the blonde slipped his heavy bag onto Ciel's shoulder.

About to protest that he never promised anything, Ciel was yanked forward into the revolving doors, the blonde's merry laugh drowning him as they circled a couple times before actually entering the bustling hotel lobby, a few odd stares being shot their way.

Doing his best to ignore those who took interest in Alois' behavior, Ciel opted to walking just behind the blonde as Alois bee-lined to the registration table. As his friend excitedly talked to the people who handed him papers, stickers, and eventually a number to pin to his glittery shirt, Ciel looked around from where he stood, his hand slipping into his pant pocket to loosely curl around his phone.

The Four Seasons Hotel of San Francisco was one of the most luxurious in the city; with its modern décor and open space. Polished marble floors reflected like mirrors and the cherry red wood trim set a calming atmosphere. Seats and small tables lined the walls, countless amounts of people occupying the space and chatting non-stop. Pressing his lips together and taking a deep breath, Ciel attempted to calm himself.

These people were loud and many were twirling or bouncing mid-air. He couldn't understand why they'd practice in here of all places. Looking at them even more closely, Ciel knew that by the end of the day he would hate the sight of bedazzled pants and glittered shirts three sizes small.

An arm twisted around his waist and with a jerk Ciel found himself by Alois' side. The blonde waved papers in front of his face and proudly stuck his chest out. "I'm number three oh seven!"

It was only a little after ten o'clock in the morning. "Does that mean you're auditioning seven after three?"

"Pfft, I wish!" Leading them to an empty booth as they entered a small café/dining area, Alois slapped the paperwork down on the table as Ciel slid into the cushy seat, letting his friend's bag fall to the floor with a thump. "But three is a lucky number because genies use it for wishes, and seven is the universal number of luck!"

Rolling his eyes at Alois' logic, Ciel asked again, "So when do you audition?"

Hands shuffled through the countless papers, and after a moment Alois let out a triumphant "aha!" followed by the answer, "I'm on around six o'clock."

Holding back a groan, Ciel let his head fall into his hands. If he had known there'd be such a long wait he wouldn't have…

"But it's soo worth the wait, Ciel!" Alois exclaimed, reaching across the table and pulling his hands away. "It's been my dream to get into a big-time role like this. Besides, I get to meet my absolute favorite choreographer _and_ a well renowned director!" When Ciel shot him a blank look, Alois clarified, "Aleister Chamber and Ash Landers, duh! How could you not know this, Ciel? You're my best friend!"

'Or so you think,' Ciel thought, only half meaning it. Sitting back, he sighed, his fingers itching for a more purposeful distraction. "Sorry I'm not familiar with them; you should've taken one of your other friends who would've appreciated them."

Alois was nearly teaming with excitement in his seat and Ciel rolled his eyes again, finally giving into temptation and pulling out his phone. "But I haven't even told you the best part yet!" When azure eyes looked at him, Alois continued, "The guest judge is why this audition is really hyped up!"

"Oh?" Ciel couldn't imagine who this 'guest judge' could possibly be. He wasn't really one to read up on famous entertainers. Yet from the look on Alois' face (which appeared ready to explode sparkles and rainbows) this particular person was above the rest. "Do tell."

However the blonde didn't explode, but rather smiled into his fingers before pointing to a poster across the room which advertised the auditioning event. "The one with black hair."

The man was easy to pick out; the others being platinum blonde and white haired. Yet he stood in the middle, being the tallest. Pale skin and red eyes, a smooth and long face, a lean body dressed in tight clothing characteristic to a dancer. A challenging look adorned his expression along with crossed arms, though Ciel could care less about taking up whatever he offered. Ciel turned back to Alois and deadpanned, "Just tell me."

A look of "you're no fun" flashed across Alois' face before he burst out "Sebastian Michaelis!". Ciel hid his face once more as his friend's volume caused people to stare again.

"Will you please keep it down?" Ciel asked with a less than venomous hiss, looking between his fingers to see Alois bending over to grab his bag. Alois could have all the attention he wanted, but Ciel wanted absolutely no part of it. Feeling that no one was paying attention to them anymore, he shuffled to the end of the seat with his phone, intent to distract himself for the next seven hours.

"Are you seriously going to look at your studies all day long? That's so boring," Alois mused as he slipped on his custom-made jazz shoes and tied them tightly.

Finding the page he last left off on, Ciel shrugged, not looking up. "We have a test in three days; of course I'm going to study for it." Besides, there was hardly anything for him to do here. "You can go and practice until lunch," he offered.

Alois groaned and moved to sit on his side of the booth. "But I need someone to watch me, and you know some of the lines and moves I want to perform," he whined, pressing up against Ciel's side and attempting to pull his friend's phone away.

Slapping the blonde's hand, Ciel shouldered Alois off him. "I'm sure you can find someone to watch your technique for you; you're good enough with people to do that."

"But Ciieel…"

Knowing that Alois would stop at nothing until he got his way, Ciel sighed, knowing he would have to compromise half way. "Alright. Practice until lunch and afterward I'll watch you."

* * *

It was amazing what pulling his hair back, tugging on a dingy plaid button up shirt, and slipping on some dark framed glasses could do. Sebastian moved effortlessly through the crowded hallways searching for a specific room he'd been called to.

Already it was a hectic morning of never-ending auditions. Only one or two people had piqued his interest so far, but of course the final decisions would be Ash's and Aleister's. Sebastian smiled to himself grimly as he remembered one other who had a say in who would be cast: Grell.

And unfortunately, that was the man who he was currently on a mission to find. The makeup artist hadn't shown up at the correct room, and they were already two hours in.

So dodging aspiring dancers and actors, Sebastian meandered his way through the lavish Four Seasons hotel, keeping his eyes open and idly wondering if he should've brought someone from security with him in case he got lost or discovered.

Turning another corner, Sebastian entered a larger room, but immediately ducked back as he suddenly heard his name practically yelled out from the corner of the room. Covering his nose and mouth with his hand he melded with the wall, waiting for the onslaught of fans to bombard him. When no one came to ask him for an autograph or openly stare, Sebastian cautiously looked around the corner before stepping out, his eyes scanning over the occupied tables, hoping to locate the source out of pure curiosity.

He couldn't hear it very well, but the conversation was clearly about him; a blonde boy dressed rather brightly was practically sitting atop the table, talking to his friend whose face was covered but Sebastian could see that his ears were bright red with embarrassment.

Amused, the celebrity watched the pair for a moment longer before the one hiding his face finally put his hands down, revealing his scowl and displeasure of being here. Inquisitive questions floated through Sebastian's mind as to why the teenager would be so miserable when in the presence of the rich and famous.

A buzz in his back pocket had Sebastian moving again. Pulling his phone out and pressing into his inbox, he read the message from Ash: _Five minutes. Find Grell. Now._

"What a prude," he muttered half sarcastically before restarting his search and leaving the open room, not about to forget his new, amusing and mysterious interest.

* * *

At last it was a quarter to six. Alois would be up specifically in half an hour's time, and the blonde had more or less turned into a nervous and excited wreck. Ciel had been dragged down countless halls as they searched for the auditioning room, and they now stood outside the holding room with two dozen other people and their supporters. Leaning against the wall, Ciel glanced back and forth between the formulas on his phone and his friend who was preparing last-minute steps and going over his lines.

Unable to practice any longer, Alois hugged his friend with a long groan of anticipation. "Distract me, Ciel ~ pleeeaaasse."

Saving the page he was on, Ciel pocketed his phone and detached himself from Alois. Between the time he spent by himself and watching Alois, Ciel hadn't really been able to focus on any subject. It was irritating and he felt annoyed and tired. If he could will time to move faster, he would do it in less than a heartbeat.

"What are you auditioning for?" Ciel asked, the familiar questions rolling off his tongue. This wasn't the first audition Ciel had been dragged to, and he was certain it wouldn't be the last any time soon. By now it was routine, and these sorts of questions seemed to always help his friend focus.

Alois shook his hands, appearing dainty and flustered. "A short TV film."

"What role do you need to fill?"

"Dancer-actor role," came the automatic answer, followed by a deep breath. "It's an easy acting role, but the dancing might be a little complex."

"Do you want the lead?"

"Duh. But any role would be fine."

"Why's that?"

"Because my favorite director and choreographer are working on it," Alois replied, his voice not quite as excited as Ciel had anticipated. The blonde's movement was also relaxing. Looking at his light blue eyes also gave away that Alois was becoming concentrated. "Also, it would be a really good first break into television." A few more questions later and the blonde had become uncharacteristically calm. Ciel let out a sigh of relief.

When his phone finally read two after six, the double doors down the hall opened and a man dressed in black with a pager called their attention. The light in Alois' eyes sparked to life as the blonde pushed himself to his feet. Turning to Ciel, he nearly tackled his friend into a hug. "Wish me luck ~ please, please, please!" he begged, his embrace tightening with each "please".

Sucking in air, Ciel nodded into Alois' shoulder. "Good luck," he said half-heartedly as he pat Alois' back, and not a second later he was freed, his eyes glued to the back of the flamboyantly neon-glittered shirt his friend wore as he tore down the hall to get in line.

"Finally," Ciel breathed, happy that the other supporters were quieting down some. Dropping down to the floor with his back against the wall, Ciel pulled out his phone again, hoping that it would be a while before one of the try-outs would come bursting through those doors either in tears of happiness or misery.

* * *

At the end of each and every hour they would be permitted a ten minute break. Watching countless people audition was tiresome. There were many who took it seriously and others were obviously just looking for attention through the delusional mindset that their wackiness would launch them into stardom. And while some of those acts were amusing, the large majority was just annoyances. However, the people in this session were hardly the factor in Sebastian's growing headache.

Why he was asked to guest judge was beyond him. His manager signed him up for it when countless other professional dancers could have taken the spot. But apparently he was asked for specifically, and if a small payday came from it, Sebastian found he couldn't complain.

So for most of the day he sat behind a long table with the well-known director and lead choreographer – and eventually the makeup artist.

"No, no, no – stop, stop please. That is hideously disgusting and hardly portrays what you told us you'd be providing," the director Ash Landers would often interrupt, his nose wrinkled in severe distaste, and his violet eyes narrowed as if his retinas had been burned. Dressed in his usual designer suit colored entirely white, Sebastian was reminded throughout the day of the man's movies and how he liked to perceive cleanliness, purity, and innocence in his films. Watching him now Sebastian would define the man as blunt and maybe a little crazy as far as his vision went, but he supposed those characteristics were what earned him three or four Oscars.

Many times Sebastian had to duck unless he wanted to be hit in the face by a flailing arm. Aleister Chamber, the choreographer for this particular movie, was completely tuned in with all the auditions; whether the acts were good or bad, he always seemed to find the passion. And he especially liked to express it.

"Oh-oh-aahh, so delicate, light as a feather, my dear! Definitely a Juliet who's longing for her Romeo upon the balcony, the starry night behind her exuding her innocence and extenuating her careful and princess-like movements. A true beauty in anyone's eyes – the footwork is perfect, so light yet heavy with soul and smoldering passion that's just waiting to burst – just like my heart! Oh how you have stabbed me with your passion, my Juliet – ah, ah, ah!"

And of course, probably the most judgmental of them all was the makeup artist, Grell Sutcliff. Either in the beginning or the end of the audition, the man would get out of his seat and go to the person up close, sometimes taking their face in his hands and inspect like there was no tomorrow. Earlier on Sebastian had learned that Grell and Ash were actually good friends and understood one another's visions. So when Grell either announced (rather dramatically) whether a person's face was God-sent or trash, Ash would never complain.

However, that wasn't the worst of it. Sandwiched between Aleister and Grell couldn't have been any worse. While Aleister would often jump from his seat with too much enthusiasm, it was between those who auditioned that Grell snuggled right up and close to him.

"Ah, Sebastian, my love," the gaudy redhead would coo every time. "You'll teach me those _special_ dance moves right?" which would be followed by a smoldering look behind designer glasses and a puckering of lips, to which Sebastian would either mutter a "no thanks" or just outright leave.

All in all, it was a long day that didn't seem to have an end in sight.

Or at least, not until he remembered that moody teenager from earlier.

"Ronald!" Grell fumed during their six o'clock break, pushing himself to his feet as he called his assistant's name yet again, his face becoming so red it nearly matched his outfit. Eventually a young man with blonde hair parted through the small crowd, wearing a simple dress shirt and pants, a hint of a frown and dark rimmed glasses.

"Yes, Mr. Sutcliff?" Ronald asked, his lack patience mixing with his weariness.

"I told you to get me the sparkling water with ice!" Dressed in all red, Grell waved his arms, the lapels of his jacket revealing a yellow and green striped vest underneath. Long red hair had been pulled up into a bun hours ago, but many of his erratic movements were freeing strands here and there.

The assistant's brows knitted. "That's what I got you, sir."

But Grell wouldn't have any of it; he was quite the drama queen despite his beautiful makeup creations well-known on the silver screen – but one would think that to be expected. So Grell scoffed and stamped his foot, reaching to the table to hold up his glass of water. "Do you see these ice cubes, do you Ronald?"

The blonde nodded cautiously.

"They are miniscule – absolutely so tiny that I can barely feel them on my tongue!" the makeup artist nearly shrieked. "The regimen I'm on requires large ice cubes – how else do you think I have this flawless complexion?!"

Knowing better than to say that he got that particular glass of water hours ago and that it was only natural for the ice to melt, Ronald merely sighed, wishing for his day off to come faster. "I'll fix that right away," he said, taking the glass from his employer and wondering why he'd taken the job in the first place.

Having overheard the loud conversation from where he sat fake-scrolling through past days text messages from his manager and dance instructor, a light bulb went off in Sebastian's head. Getting up, he tailed the makeup artist's assistant to the hallway only permitted to staff. "Hey, Ronald!"

The blonde turned around, surprise clearly on his face – for who would ever expect Sebastian Michaelis to call upon them? Yet despite the pressure of facing a very well-known celebrity dancer, Ronald appeared to relax. "Uh, yeah? Do you want a glass of water, too?"

Taking the half-empty glass from the assistant, Sebastian shook his head. "I'll take your boss off your hands for a while, how does that sound?"

Hardly caring of who would see, Ronald broke from his tired look as he pumped a fist in the air with a loud "yes!". Taking Sebastian's free hand, he thanked him over and over, saying how much he needed the break and so on and so forth before Sebastian laughed.

"But you wouldn't mind doing me a small favor, would you?" There had been a couple times Sebastian had been able to meet Grell's assistant. Ronald was good with people (except his boss, of course) and with today being the exception, the young man was always enthusiastic in his own quiet way.

Ronald shook his head. "I hardly mind – hell, if it gets me back to my room on the sixth floor and away from Mr. Sutcliff faster, I'll be a happy man the rest of the week!"

* * *

'Six-thirty,' Ciel thought to himself with the millionth sigh of the day. No one had even come out yet, which made him think that the round of auditions hadn't even started yet. Grumbling to himself, he thumbed back to the page filled with principles and important-to-remember formulas and scrolled down to the area with questions he took to solving in his head.

It was fifteen minutes later that the first person burst through those doors with fat tears of rejection in her eyes. The large noise of her crying and family and friends' reaction tore Ciel from his mental studying, and he groaned. So it had begun. He thought of leaving to find someplace quieter, but Ciel knew that there was no such place in this hotel.

So Ciel buckled down, his mind never truly being able to focus on what he so badly wanted to look over. After the third person came through those double doors, the auditions seemed to fly. Most people shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of being rejected, but others pulled full tantrums. It was when a brother and sister team were screaming at one another for messing up that Ciel noticed two polished shoes standing before him.

Looking up Ciel was met with a young man who looked fresh out of college. Although he wore thick rimmed glasses, Ciel could see the lines of sleep deprivation and stress underneath his eyes. However, the young man wore a carefree smile.

"Hey," the man said.

"Hi," Ciel replied, unsure of what this guy could possibly want.

The blonde clapped his hands together. "Are you auditioning?"

Maybe talking to this guy could distract him from the crying duo. "I'm not, but my friend is right now."

"Ah, that's cool; hope he gets the part, heh."

Letting his shoulders slump, Ciel raised a brow under slate-blue bangs. "Can I help you?" He wasn't very good with conversations or dealing with people. Why this guy would choose him to talk to was beyond Ciel.

Smiling and showing teeth, the man squat down to Ciel's level. "Ah, sorry. I'm Ronald – I'm an assistant to one of the judges inside. I'm on my break and I noticed you looked pretty sour and lonely. I can find you a room where it's quiet if you'd like. I'll even look out for your friend when they're done with their audition."

'Sour look?' Ciel thought bitterly, but then processed what Ronald just said. "Really?" he asked, his skepticism wavering.

Ronald nodded. "Uh-huh." Standing, he held out a hand for Ciel to take. When the teen took it and dusted himself off from sitting on the floor for so long, he asked, "So what's your name?"

The assistant had an honest face and Ciel felt he could believe him about the quiet room; the safe haven from this building of organized chaos. Why on earth would he pass this chance up? "Ciel," he said without much thought. "Thank you for doing this for me."

Looking over his shoulder, Ronald nodded. "No probs, it's been quite the day."

Continuing in silence, Ciel followed the blonde assistant through some hallways and up a floor where it was already considerably quieter. They passed a few conference rooms and Ciel noticed that all the people on this floor were either staff from the hotel, or from the movie. Finally Ronald stopped at a door and let him in.

It appeared to be a break room of sorts. It wasn't a terribly large room, but it wasn't miniscule either. There was a small kitchen area with a fridge, microwave, and sink on one side of the room; the other side had a table with chairs and a loveseat couch.

"There shouldn't be anyone coming in here for a while, so you don't need to worry about getting in trouble," Ronald told him. "So just make yourself comfortable – oh, what does your friend look like?"

Ciel rolled his eyes but his back was turned to the assistant. "His name's Alois. Blonde hair, about my height, dressed ridiculously; you can't miss him," he described flatly. "He'll probably be calling for me."

"Haha, alright, I'll be back soon," Ronald laughed, closing the door behind him and leaving Ciel by himself.

The teen immediately flopped on the couch, relishing the silence like no other. He hadn't realized how much his head hurt, or how bodily tired he'd become. The thought of making Alois drive home passed through his mind, but he instantly thought better of it. He didn't need another dent caused by the blonde. So it wasn't long before he whipped his phone out and let it hove above his face as he scrolled through one problem after another, finally finding the perfect focus.

It was a nice stretch of studying, about twenty straight minutes, though of course it was not as long as Ciel would have liked but he opened his inbox the moment his phone buzzed. Seeing Alois' name in the sender box, Ciel was about to open the either excited or depressed message when the door opened.

Looking up from where he lay on the couch, Ciel was very surprised to see the man from the poster from earlier enter the break room. 'I thought Ronald said…!'

Red eyes caught sight of him before Ciel could even finish his own thought. "Oh, hey," the celebrity greeted, a satisfied smile curling his lips as Ciel sat up before standing.

He felt flustered even though he knew he shouldn't. The tall man was still blocking the doorway, and Ciel regret looking behind himself to find that there were no windows. "I'm sorry, I was just –" He cut himself short, knowing if he continued, he'd be rambling like an idiot. He felt out of place and knew he shouldn't have trusted the blonde assistant's words that promised solitude.

The man approached and Ciel felt himself freeze as his hand was taken and his knuckles were kissed. "Oh, no, it's alright," the celebrity comforted, his eyes burning Ciel's skin in the most unpleasant way. "It's a pleasure to meet you…?" When Ciel didn't provide his name, the man chuckled. "You needn't be scared."

Why was this happening? Why was he in a room with a famous celebrity? Why was he caring so much to the point where he couldn't speak properly?

'Sort it out…there has to be a reason he's here…God, what's his name again?' Ciel thought frantically to himself, feeling absolutely stupid when he couldn't conjure the man's name up that Alois was gushing about only this morning. 'Ronald said I looked lonely…and I was brought here of all places! This has to be some kind of set up!'

Yanking his hand away, Ciel took a step back and narrowed his blue eyes as he finally found his voice. "Look, I don't need any cheering up; whatever you and that guy wanted to do isn't going to work. Unlike everyone else here, I could care less about what you do with your life or how rich and famous you are – that's actually pretty arrogant of you to think you can use your status alone to make someone excited; it's pathetic, actually." He surprised himself when he realized that venom had laced itself into his voice.

The celebrity's face had hardly changed from his outburst, and somehow that made Ciel's unprecedented rage at the situation boil. His eyes darted to the open doorway, and with a huff, Ciel said before heading out with an almost panicked pace, "Not everyone has to love you just because of who you are!"

The dancer watched the open doorway for a moment in semi-stunned silence. "Well, that was interesting," the celebrity mused to himself, hardly fazed by the teen's words. It wasn't often he was accused of being arrogant in that sense, but he had certainly heard the speech before.

Left to himself, the famous dancer moved to the loveseat where the teen had forgotten his phone. Having seen it discarded way before the teen had his surprising flare-up, he picked it up and scrolled through the pages before hitting the home button, and then going into the teen's contacts. When he was done he set the phone back onto the table and got comfortable on the small couch, knowing without a doubt the teen would have to come back.

* * *

He found Alois near the Four Season's entrance. To say the least, his friend was a mess.

Snot and tears blended into one another as they ran like waterfalls down his face. His hair was a bit messed up from probably dancing his heart out, though Ciel wouldn't call it a stretch if Alois had been forcibly removed from the audition room. He had his regular shoes on and his bag was slung over his shoulder. The moment he spotted Ciel, the blonde caught him in a lung-crushing hug.

"Waaahh Ciieel…!" Alois cried into his shoulder, clinging to his frazzled friend for dear life. "They di-didn't want meee! An' an' I tried my hardest, you know? Stupid Ash Landers – you wanna know wha' he called me, do you, do you?!"

Putting his own issues on the back burner, Ciel pat his friend's back. People were starting to stare again. "Alois, calm do-"

"H-he called me 'unworthy' an' said I had the 'grace of a cockroach'!" the blonde bawled, rocking them back and forth until Ciel had to force his friend off him. "But, but -"

"We're leaving, Alois." Taking his friend's hand, Ciel led them out, ignoring Alois as he changed moods and started to ramble about how star stuck he'd become in the presence of all those famous people "you only see on television and in magazines". Standing at the crosswalk to get to the parking lot where they left his car, Ciel quietly tucked the name "Sebastian Michaelis" into the back of his mind when Alois began talking about the dancer and how perfect he looked.

As they waited for the light to turn green on their end, Ciel reached into his pocket to check for the time. His heart thudded when he didn't feel it where he usually kept it, and he looked behind him to see if he'd accidentally dropped it. When he couldn't spot it, Ciel knew he'd have to retrace his steps.

Pulling out his keys, he handed them to a babbling Alois. "I forgot something inside the hotel; you go on ahead to the car, alright?" When the light turned green, it was easy enough to send the starry-eyed teenager across the street without any questions asked.

Dread filled his stomach as Ciel made his way back to the Four Seasons hotel. He knew exactly where he'd left it, and embarrassment crept up the back of his neck as he made the journey inside and to the elevator. Why did he say what he had said? Why did he have to open his mouth and spew such stupid things in front of a complete stranger?

'I always say the wrong things…should I apologize?' Ciel thought, his stomach flip-flopping as he wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run to his car. He could always get another phone. 'But it was a setup, wasn't it…but why?'

Suddenly the elevator dinged and Ciel automatically stepped out, cursing his legs for moving on their own as he headed down the hall. Not even a minute had passed when he found the room, the door still open. Stopping just before it, Ciel wondered if the celebrity was even there, and pushing the thought away just as immediately as it had come, he walked in.

The celebrity dancer, Sebastian Michaelis, was indeed there. The first thing that flew through Ciel's mind was that the man was waiting for him.

Averting his eyes and not even wanting to touch on the uncomfortable and unexplainable anger he held for the man, Ciel said quietly, "I forgot my phone."

He couldn't see the man's expression as he said, "It's on the table."

Stiffly, Ciel walked further into the room and snatched his phone up. Proper etiquette jabbed at him, and once the device was safely in his pocket Ciel looked up. Not even smiling as he looked into that almost self-satisfied expression, Ciel muttered a quick "thank you" before dashing out as fast as he could.

Chuckling to himself as he leaned back into the cushions, Sebastian drew out his own phone. Going into his contacts, he scrolled down the alphabet before coming upon the teen's name, glad that his day had turned out far better than he had initially thought.

"Let's get to know one another…Ciel Phantomhive."

* * *

A/N: So I didn't mean for Sebastian to turn out to be a total creeper right off the bat, but when isn't he a total creep in fanfiction? I swear this is going to turn into a total fluff/mush/angst/drama type story, so I hope the first chapter isn't a bad first impression.

Please tell me what you think - should I continue? Thanks for reading!


	2. Messages

Chapter Two

Messages

* * *

The sound of lead on paper and the occasional swish of textbook paper consumed the very quiet bedroom. The alarm clock on the nightstand displayed that it was well past the teen's bedtime – almost two o'clock in the morning. Leaning back in his chair to stretch, Ciel yawned tiredly, wanting to lie down in his comfy bed. But as his gaze traveled back to the open notes and his scrawled handwriting, he knew he couldn't stop just yet.

'Just two more problems,' he told himself, knowing he would come to regret his decision later in the morning.

This was not an unusual night for Ciel. At least three out of the five school nights were spent like this, slaving over homework and going over problem after difficult problem. Although his instructors' assigned work was easy to finish, Ciel pushed himself hard through the use of workbooks to better himself in all subjects.

Luckily for him, his hard work often paid off. He would score high marks on quizzes, essays, and tests. At least twice he had earned official rewards for his efforts, and it was already projected that he would graduate at the top of his class this year. The bar was raised high to begin with, and Ciel knew that he would only be expected to push it higher.

Yet now, halfway through the second to last question, Ciel couldn't control the sudden onslaught of yawns that urged him to get some shuteye. Sighing as he finally set his pencil down, he cradled his head in his hands, his elbows on the desk. For a moment he shut his aching eyes, secretly wishing he could sleep forever.

His parents had long gone to sleep due to an early start to their workday. Both were very hard-working and Ciel often looked up to them to keep his own work-ethic rolling. His father, Vincent Phantomhive, was co-owner of the steadily growing Funtom Company and although Ciel knew it was for the best, his father was often away on business trips and always piled in paperwork during the time he spent home. His father's success was largely what provided his family with a good home and Ciel an excellent education.

His mother, Rachel Phantomhive, was a blossoming businesswoman who currently worked in the advertising department for a company bank. Creative and clever, she always hit the mark and brought in new associates and customers. Last Ciel knew, his father was doing his best to transfer her to work in the Funtom Company as the head of the advertising department. To be honest with himself, Ciel secretly hoped she would stay with her current employer. Along with his father, Ciel didn't often get to see his mother, either.

As another yawn cracked his jaw, Ciel reached out to shut his textbook and workbooks. Curling in his chair and pulling his bare thighs to his chest, Ciel breathed as he tucked his chin into his knees. He was tired, and as his eyes drooped close, the teen was just about to nod off when a startling buzz from his phone surprised him awake.

Groaning a little and hoping that it was just some gimmick e-mail or update, Ciel stood up and stretched before grabbing his phone and heading to his bed. Sighing as his back and hips hit the soft mattress and comforter, Ciel opened up his mailbox and hit the message.

'Hello.'

Blinking, Ciel scoured his brain to identify the unfamiliar number at the top. He felt too lazy to go look in his list of contacts. So with a bit of curiosity and caution, he answered back with the hope of distracting himself, 'Hi.'

The response was immediate. 'How are you this fine evening?'

Perhaps it was some drunkard who typed in a random number? Ciel shook his head, uncaring of his ignorance of the real world as he reasoned that it was a Tuesday night. Who got drunk on a Tuesday night in September?

'I don't know, depends on who's asking this early in the morning,' he typed back, feeling a little guilty as the clock ticked on. He really should get some sleep.

'You'll have to promise me something if you want to know.' Ciel felt as if he were being played. Yet despite his gut instincts, he couldn't help but want to play along and break his usual routine.

'And why should I trust you? You could be some serial killer hiding in my neighborhood.' Squirming at his own text, Ciel wondered just why he couldn't play along. He always went along with caution.

'I can assure you that I'm not. I'm probably very far from where you are.'

Staring at his phone, Ciel quickly twisted to look out the blinds of his window. The neighborhood was quiet, all the other expensive houses dark. The three or four lamp posts illuminated the paved road. Although it was hard to see any detail, Ciel could make out the general shapes of overweight trees hanging over the road. Squinting, Ciel felt his stomach twist as he speculated that some creep could be hiding anywhere out there. 'How far?' he typed slowly, wondering whether or not he should just turn off his phone completely.

'As a guess I'd say a good state – or three away.'

Ciel bit his lip, finally returning to lean against the bedpost and fluffy pillows but still feeling a bit wary. 'I still don't trust you.'

'Well, it's not like you'd believe me if I told you who I am anyway,' came the smug reply.

Blue eyes narrowed at the small screen. 'You're that confident?'

'Apparently more so than you.'

Just who did this guy think he was? Ciel gripped his phone in growing agitation, but took a breath to steady himself. He was tired and not thinking straight. Perhaps having a conversation at nearly three in the morning wasn't the best decision he could have made. 'Alright then, do your worst.'

There was a very long pause. For reasons Ciel felt he'd never understand, the slew of emotions that suddenly bombarded him made him feel anxious, confident, stupid, and probably above all, very, very interested. Keeping the small device in hand, Ciel exhaled and craned his head back and closed his eyes.

Not a moment later his phone buzzed.

Opening the message, he read the text 'Sebastian Michaelis.'

"Where have I…?" Ciel wondered briefly aloud before it hit him like a freight train. Dropping his phone onto the blankets, Ciel merely stared at his feet as he curled into himself once again as a montage of images and Alois's voice flashed through his mind.

It was only a month ago, but apparently he had unconsciously drunk in enough images of the celebrity dancer to remember what he looked like. Of course, he would always remember that angering and above all, embarrassing encounter, but Ciel couldn't understand why he was remembering all those glamorous posters and cutouts that had been strewn all around the hotel.

On top of a slim and toned body were designer outfits with matching rings, necklaces and earring, sleek black hair that appeared messy anyway, a pale yet flawless face – an image any normal person would go nuts over. Yet all Ciel could focus on was that same smug smile on every poster – on the real person.

Glancing at his phone through his arms, Ciel groaned. It had to be some imposter – there were sure to be plenty out there. Hell, it could even be Alois for all he knew. This wouldn't be the first time he'd received a three in the morning text from the blonde; it would just be the first he decided to respond to.

But what if it weren't Alois? Ciel felt his heartbeat speed up at the possibility that this stranger was telling the truth and that he was actually communicating with a famous person. His throat felt dry and he no longer felt sleepy.

He had left his cell phone behind that day. The cushion of space from when he left that break room to when he returned would have given anyone enough time to sift through his phone and find his number to take for themselves. But why take Ciel's number? Would he have done that if anyone else were in Ciel's shoes at that time? And why the hell was he only now just contacting him?

It must have been a good five minutes since the stranger's supposed identity-revealing text was sent. Reaching out Ciel claimed his phone yet again, unsure of how to respond.

'I don't believe you. Drop the charade Alois.' Ciel wriggled in his spot, feeling stupid.

'Alois? Is that your friend who auditioned?' So the stranger was going to deny his claim. Ciel's heart sped up faster, and he felt his face redden in embarrassment the second he realized his own reaction.

'Quit the act already!' Ciel typed defensively, not wanting to believe the very possible truth. He couldn't understand why he was getting so hyped up about it all; he had never in his life been one to idolize or even take a liking to anyone famous – be it a singer or actor. They were just regular people who unfortunately managed to get sucked into the limelight with a career that blew their image way out of the water. And the way Ciel saw it, these regular people enjoyed the fact that they'd become corrupt; only caring about their appearance or how much money they made. He couldn't and didn't want to understand them – he oftentimes couldn't fathom why Alois would want to go into such a horrific and fake industry.

So why was he working himself up over his blonde friend who was most likely just trying to pull his leg?

"I need to go to bed…" he mumbled to himself before his phone vibrated again.

'I would if I were an actual actor.'

Later he would just think that it was because he was tired, but Ciel's eye twitched as he stared at the message disbelievingly. 'I'm going to bed, goodnight.'

The phone buzzed one last time but Ciel didn't bother to look at it as he hooked it back up to its charger on his bedside nightstand. With a frown he hoped that Alois would be laughing in his face tomorrow morning. Flicking off the lamp he settled onto his back restlessly, deciding that he'd block the number tomorrow.

'Sweet dreams.'

* * *

"Whaaa…Ciel, you're going completely bonkers! For the last time, I don't know this number."

Resisting the urge to drop his head into his hands, Ciel merely nodded, deciding that enough was enough and that Alois had nothing to do with last night's odd conversation. He had asked the blonde so many times, each skipping around the actual conversation he'd had, but the combination of Alois' confused (if not frightened) and irritated expression finally had Ciel backing down and realizing that his friend hadn't been the one to text him last night.

'But he wants to be an actor…' Ciel mused with an inaudible grumble. He wouldn't go down that dark path full of doubt and second-thoughts. He might be smart enough to get into their prestigious private school, but Ciel knew that Alois wasn't _that _smart. Ciel knew better than anyone else that when Alois decided to play mind tricks, the blonde would be the one to be the most confused by the end.

With a dejected sigh Ciel powered off his phone as the bell rang, instructing the students to find their seats. Pulling out his text and notebooks along with a pen, Ciel patiently waited in the relative silence for their instructor to show up.

Nestled in the small town of Nanticoke in northern California, Ciel often enjoyed its secluded nature from the rest of the world. There weren't many people who had heard of the town despite the state's wild reputation, and Ciel knew his parents had specifically chosen to live in the area due to its green qualities and reputation for sleeper geniuses.

Nanticoke Private was a small school intended for those who qualified with the highest of scores. The first entrance exam Ciel had to take was when he was ten years old. By that age he was already well ahead of his peers in a general public school, and he honestly didn't mind the challenge presented with a private school. He found that there was more time to study and that classes were more focused than ever before.

Of course it cost nearly a fortune to attend, but Ciel had learned early on that his parents had more than enough to support his tuition. For the first couple weeks he was introduced to a certain lifestyle the students liked to showcase, and in turn, ten year old Ciel had worried that his school would become a burden to his parents. With a brief talk, he was proven very wrong.

It was during that time that many changes started to take place that Ciel was finally old enough to notice and take account of. About a year after he was enrolled into Nanticoke Private, his family moved to an entirely different, richer neighborhood within the already well-off town. During family discussions, his parents often used terms like "middle class" and "promotion deal" and various other terms he wouldn't understand until his macro and microeconomics classes.

So now in his last year Ciel knew all the social attributes and practices. His peers would consider him a quiet and studious student. He was enrolled to take all the most advanced classes his school could offer; he was nothing short of a genius. And with such a high standing, one would think that he'd be constantly surrounded by his fellow students and lively in the various school activities.

He wasn't.

Such a thing never bothered Ciel, but he couldn't deny that he got lonely sometimes. During those brief moments in time though, he would be thankful that he at least had one person he could rely on: Alois Trancy.

It was actually Alois who approached him their second year in. The blonde was always hyperactive and ready to learn with enough enthusiasm for the both of them. Ciel often described Alois as a wild card of sorts; he could go from being the perfect model student to a delinquent in almost less a day. Ciel couldn't count on just one hand how many times Alois managed to weasel out of trouble when he clearly should have been suspended a year. Granted, that was in their early days at Nanticoke Private and by now the blonde had balanced out, but when Ciel first met him, he was constantly questioning the boy's sanity.

Just before the clock struck at the top of the hour their instructor walked in, calling the class to full attention. With a weary sigh, Ciel did as instructed, hoping that he'd be able to make it through the day.

* * *

Shutting the door behind him, Ciel picked out the key to the house from the chain as he walked up the steps to the house. His parents had picked a good neighborhood with low crime and neighbors with or close to the same social status as themselves. There weren't many children on their well-kept street, but even if there were, Ciel was sure he'd never have the time to play around.

Unlocking the door Ciel walked into the cool interior, kicked off his shoes and placed his keys on the rack on the wall. He lived in a large home made of brick with modern settings inside. The two or three times his parents had business parties, the house actually seemed warmer and more welcoming. But like this, being by himself, Ciel could only describe his sweet home as cold and hollow. Of course, because his parents often came home late, he'd be by himself for hours at a time, and naturally he had gotten used to the solitude.

Padding into the kitchen as his stomach rumbled, Ciel pulled out the ingredients for a quick dinner, noticing from the corner of his eye a note left on the counter. Picking it up as he wiped excess butter from a knife, Ciel read 'We'll be home late. Food in the fridge – eat healthy! Mother and Father'.

Discarding the note, Ciel finished preparing his quick meal and turning on the stovetop before sitting at the clean island and hefting up his school bag. Pulling out some homework for his language class, Ciel turned his phone on, listening to it as it vibrated against the marble countertop.

Usually only Alois texted him, and surprisingly it would only be one or two messages a day. Sometimes his mother and father would, but that was usually on rare occasions when they left for trips or had to make last minute fixes that would affect his schedule.

But three messages? "That's a record," Ciel mused to himself, hardly thinking as he pressed into his inbox.

He sucked in his lips the moment his eyes caught the repeated number. His thumb went to hover over the delete button as he felt butterflies flutter in his stomach. Ciel pressed one of the messages open.

'Did you sleep well?'

Then the second.

'How are you today?'

Then the last.

'Was your day nice?'

Ciel stared, half dumbfounded, half amazed. Setting his phone back down the counter as if it were the most fragile item in existence, Ciel carefully sat himself back down onto one of the stools.

Complete stranger or not, no one ever took the time to ask how he was. Even Alois never ventured to question his wellbeing unless it somehow could be made into a sardonic joke. And Ciel had long ago stopped considering his parents' brief concerns as genuine.

Pulling his phone closer, Ciel glanced the consecutive messages over again. The first had been sent an hour before he woke up this morning, the second during his lunch, and the last only forty-five minutes ago. The longer he stared the more relaxed he became until his stomach churned with discomfort. Taking a breath, Ciel opened up a new message.

'I'll only say this once: stop texting me,' he wrote simply before sending. Ciel nearly jumped as the small device buzzed only half a minute later.

'I'm only trying to be nice.'

Crossing his ankles, Ciel stared at the message, trying to decipher the real meaning and whether or not it was sincere. If this was the famous celebrity dancer texting him, why on earth would he be nice? 'Or yet, the better question would be "why is he still texting me?"' Ciel thought to himself. Didn't someone that famous have a hectic schedule to run on, or important people to meet?

He started to type out a quipped message, but paused halfway through as he began to read his words aloud. Sure, people were nice to him, but they never seemed to care. The thought prodded at Ciel and he jabbed the backspace button in response. As far as he knew, this stranger had nothing against him, and Ciel felt deep down that he could believe that he wasn't putting his own life in danger.

'My day was fine.'

'Anything exciting happen?'

Trying to ignore his gut feeling to rush in headlong, Ciel silently decided that he would stay on the side of caution. A little taken aback by how eagerly his fingers hovered over the screen, he typed back, 'Not really.'

'That's a shame. My manager broke his glasses today. It was pretty funny.'

'Why's that?'

'He's blind as a bat.'

The smallest of smiles appeared on Ciel's face.

* * *

For the next half hour Ciel typed message after message. Every now and then he'd check on and stir his sizzling food, always eager to return to his phone which held a new message every time.

Although Ciel remained extremely cautious, he couldn't help but answer the simple, conversational questions that were asked of him. He hardly asked anything back, but kept a careful eye on some of the other's responses. To his relief, nothing appeared out of the ordinary or sketchy.

'Favorite flavor?'

'Chocolate.'

'Chocolate lover, eh? Please don't tell me you devour a tub of chocolate ice cream whenever you're upset.'

'I'm not a girl, you know. And I don't get upset.'

'Alright _mon petit chevreuil_.'

His fingers froze over the small keypad as Ciel was taken aback. "Mon petit chevreuil?" he repeated to himself. Exhaling a breathy laugh, Ciel typed back, 'You know French?'

'I've known it since I was eight.'

Perhaps this truly was Sebastian Michaelis, celebrity dancer. Ciel hunched over the tabletop, trying to reason it out. Sure, there were many people in the area that learned a second language, and it made sense for celebrities to have multiple talents. Maybe this guy danced with French dancers? Or performed French dances? Or he was just extremely bored when he was younger? Ciel only knew the language because it was a required course upon entry to Nanticoke Private.

'Why did you say that?' Somehow he didn't want to know the answer.

Clicking the message open the second his phone buzzed with a response, Ciel felt his face heat up as he read, 'If I remember you correctly, you had large, blue eyes. Like a deer's.'

'Deer don't have blue eyes.'

'They're still cute.'

How on earth was he supposed to respond to that? "Cute" wasn't necessarily a word Ciel would associate with himself, and he was pretty sure the last time anyone would have called him such a name would have been when he was still in diapers.

Ciel set his phone down and tried to rid himself of the heat which suddenly was filling his face. Luckily for him, he wouldn't have to reply for a little while, for in the midst of his own erratic thoughts, the smell of smoke wafted under the teen's nose.

Jumping out of his chair with a startled gasp, Ciel swore loudly as he caught sight of his dinner burning on the stovetop. Dashing over, he flipped the sink on and pulled out a washcloth from one of the drawers with a bang before being as careful and as fast as he could to wrap it around the handle before swishing back to the sink and dousing it. The hot pan hissed and once the steam cleared Ciel grumbled as he saw the state of his food. Black crisps collected around the blocked drain, and in a garbled protest, his stomach growled.

"I should've just made a sandwich," he mumbled to himself. How foolish he had been to think actually cooking something would take his mind off annoying matters.

Letting the cold water run over the pan for a minute or two longer before letting it sit in the sink, Ciel quickly looked everything over, glad that nothing appeared damaged. Wiping the stove down and picking up a few chards of burnt food from the floor, Ciel eventually realized he hadn't thought of a proper answer for Sebastian.

Hardly noticing how easily he became distracted the moment he thought of the person texting him, Ciel returned to the island and sat down, relieved to see two new messages waiting for him.

'Sorry.'

'Is everything alright?'

Warmth settled in his chest. Maybe he was quick to judge. Maybe he should give this guy a chance.

'I just burnt my dinner. I'm not a very good cook.'

'That's too bad. Glad you're okay.'

Ciel bit his lip, suppressing a smile. 'It's your fault, you know.'

'Oh?'

'You distracted me with all those questions.'

'And how's that my fault? You're the one who answered them!'

Ciel chuckled. "True," he admitted aloud, about to type another message but was interrupted as his phone vibrated again.

'Well I can't starve you. Go make yourself another dinner – I don't think sandwiches are known to spontaneously combust.'

Despite the funny comment, Ciel couldn't help but feel a pang of disappointment at the first half of the message. As he typed back, he caught sight of his school bag and untouched homework. A feeling of guilt raced through his system.

'Alright.'

And just as suddenly as he sent his last message, their conversation ended. Ciel kept his phone by his side for another minute or two, expecting it to buzz back with a proper goodbye, but the message never came. After waiting close to five minutes, Ciel berated himself for being foolish as he stood up, trying to ignore the silence and solitude he knew all too well that bombarded him as he took the other's advice and pulled out cold-cuts and condiments for a sandwich.

* * *

A/N: Nanticoke is a town I made up, but have placed in northern California. The private school is also made up, but everything else (like two other major cities) I'm going to try to be accurate with. Other than that, thank you so much for reading/alerting/favoring/reviewing! I really appreciate all the positive feedback!


	3. Connect

Chapter Three

Connect

* * *

Homework long forgotten, Ciel thumbed back a message to Sebastian, the smallest of smiles turning the corners of his mouth. The phone buzzed in his hands, and Ciel eagerly opened it.

'And I'm telling you it's a piece of cake to tie a cherry stem with your tongue.'

'No, it's not.'

'You're just lazy then.'

The question as to why they were discussing the current topic didn't cross Ciel's mind as he shook his head to himself. 'You're the lazy one. If you can learn to do that, then you must have too much time on your hands.'

'You hurt me, Ciel,' and said teen laughed quietly. 'Wound me; you're too cruel.'

'At least I use my time wisely.'

'Does that include talking to me?'

Stopping mid-text, Ciel suddenly glanced at the forgotten heap of textbooks and felt his face heat up as he turned back to Sebastian's message. His phone buzzed again.

'Have I caught you again _mon petit chevreuil?_'

Ciel outright blushed.

Every day for the past three weeks he and the so-called celebrity dancer, Sebastian Michaelis, exchanged text messages. After a week Ciel couldn't deny that he had come to enjoy the interaction between himself and Sebastian. However, Ciel practiced a tremendous amount of caution. He never gave out his whole name or address – not even his age. He had seen enough stories on the news or in the papers about ignorant adolescents freely giving out their information to people who'd turn out to be stalkers and harassing creeps. Ciel Phantomhive was everything but stupid.

However, he'd admit talking to Sebastian was more than a welcome distraction – enough so that he'd forgotten to finish his homework on a number of occasions (but no worries, he'd finish everything before class). And although he stood behind his wall of caution, Ciel never once felt uncomfortable talking to Sebastian. Nothing ever came across as suspicious or threatening. Ciel appreciated Sebastian's small company for he was easy to talk to and understand, and in turn, Ciel felt his confidence grow stronger every day.

Yet, no matter how much braver he'd become with each message, Ciel still held his doubts that he was talking to a famous celebrity. Surely that was something straight out of a fairytale or fictional movie, right?

His blush gone Ciel finally texted back, 'Can I ask you a couple questions?' Sending it, Ciel then clicked onto his internet and typed in "Sebastian Michaelis" in the search box then clicked the first couple pages. He ended up clicking on a fan page bedecked with sexy pictures of the dancer posing or in mid-dance and tabs that would lead to various forums ranging from the latest tour to what products Sebastian used for his hair. Tapping into the tab that read "Interviews" he found what he was searching for. He'd wanted to do this for a while now.

As his phone buzzed in response, Ciel inwardly squirmed, feeling slightly embarrassed although no one could see him. 'I hope this doesn't make me seem like a stalker,' he thought self-consciously before opening Sebastian's newest message.

'Go ahead.'

Glancing at the screen full of words and attractive pictures, Ciel took a breath and typed as casually as he could, 'Why did you want to be a dancer?'

The small device vibrated a minute later. 'It was a family tradition my parents wanted me to pick up. I didn't like it at first, but eventually took to it as I got older.'

Staring at the online interview, Ciel nodded to himself at the very similar answer. 'Do you have any siblings? Or are you an only child like me?' Send.

'I'm just like you, Ciel.'

Holding back another embarrassed squirm, said teen continued, 'Any pets?'

'I grew up with two dogs – a golden retriever and later on one of those annoying Chihuahuas my mom wanted. Now I have two cats.'

'What's your favorite food?'

'What website are you on?'

Ciel automatically froze. His face warmed at being found out so soon, and he wanted nothing more than to turn off his phone and toss it in a desk drawer and lock it up for the rest of eternity. Yet the teen merely sat there, cursing himself for being so tactless.

'Ciel?'

Glancing down at the small screen, Ciel knew he had to say something back. Would "sorry" suffice? Pressing his lips together and feeling absolutely stupid and embarrassed, Ciel nearly jumped as another message was sent to him.

'It's alright, you know.'

His thumbs weren't working properly, and he felt too afraid to send anything. Yet Ciel's cell continued to spew message after message.

'I can't expect you to believe you're talking to a celebrity.'

'I would be just as skeptical.'

'Sorry.'

Nearly dumbfounded, Ciel shook his head. 'No, I'm sorry,' he texted. 'I should've trusted you.'

'But I understand why you didn't – why you wouldn't. Really.'

Again, Sebastian was too quick, and Ciel couldn't finish his thought.

'I'm not offended – I would've probably done the same thing.'

Ciel's brows furrowed, and then he quickly looked up when he heard a car door slam shut outside. Itching to text back but worrying that either his mother or father were home, he reluctantly stood and glanced out the window. When he couldn't see a familiar car in the driveway or the porch light flicker on, he relaxed and sat back down.

Biting his lip, Ciel typed, 'I'm not very outgoing.'

'So? It's alright.'

'What I mean to say is that I'm not very good at making friends,' Ciel admitted, his chest tightening and his mind wondering why he felt the need to clarify. 'And this was the only way I felt I could connect to you.' Hitting send, Ciel released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

'You don't need to feel sorry though. It's okay.'

'Then why did you call me out on it?' A small feeling of unease settled in his stomach. Was he really talking to an impersonator? Wouldn't anyone famous feel offended if someone looked up their fan page to ask questions that were already listed? Ciel felt as if he were cheating.

'I have a bad sense of humor,' Sebastian messaged. 'I was trying to joke with you – that's the problem with texting.'

If he could, Ciel was just about ready to dig a hole and bury his head in it. How could he be so stupid? Why did he have to take everything seriously and never look for the humor in things? Why couldn't he be normal like everyone else and be able to take a joke?

'Yeah,' he thumbed back, too embarrassed to type anything else. Looking at the pile of books on the other side of his desk, Ciel wondered if now would be the best time to cut the conversation and bury himself in numbing school work. It was already half past eight – he'd been talking with Sebastian for the last hour.

'I can understand your caution. I could be a stalker or pervert for all you know – which I'm not, I give you my absolute word. But I'll give you all the time in the world to decide whether you trust me or not, Ciel. I'll never pressure you, honest.'

Whether Sebastian was telling the truth or not, Ciel always felt a calming affect whenever Sebastian lined his words up just right. He wanted to believe that Sebastian was being honest with him and telling the whole truth. Ciel would give anything for it.

"What am I supposed to say to that?" he asked aloud. Other than Alois' far and few in between moments of friendship, Ciel couldn't think of another person who was as friendly and sincere as Sebastian was making himself out to be. From the moment he started taking advanced classes in school before he transferred to Nanticoke Private, he'd found his only companions to be in the rare fictional mystery books that would slide in every now and then between his long list of studies. But even those moments were never as satisfying as talking to a real person.

'Thank you,' he typed back. 'That means a lot to me.' Now to say he had to call it a night…

His phone buzzed.

'You're welcome,' and as the next message appeared a second later, Ciel felt the tension around him float away completely, as well as all his thoughts of schoolwork. 'Now let me tell you things you won't find anywhere online.'

* * *

Saying the last of his "thank yous" and other miscellaneous comments to the commercial staff, Sebastian wearily walked to the break area, glad that the day was almost over. His feet were sore from the new shoes and his body was starting to feel achy from being in a rather tight outfit. His day was spent performing the painstaking Flamenco dance over and over again, stopping to get just the right expression on his face that the director desired, as well as constantly fixing his costume and hair, and adding more spritzes of water to his exposed skin.

Cracking his knuckles and fingering the small chain necklace under his shirt as he sat down at the small table with nearly empty boxes of food, Sebastian silently hoped that this fruit-energy drink commercial wouldn't bleed into tomorrow. His manager William Spears had told him that they would finish up today, but from the many times he was stopped mid-stride by the picky director, Sebastian had half a mind that he'd have to be back tomorrow.

Pulling out his phone from his bag as he waited for his manager to come around, Sebastian smiled to himself as he scrolled through the texts he and Ciel had shared at random times throughout the day.

'Really? That much?'

'It's surprising, isn't it?' he texted back. He couldn't help but find Ciel's surprise at how much cosmetics men who went on-air had to wear funny. 'I personally don't like it, though.'

His phone buzzed, but a nearing voice caught his attention, and sadly Sebastian blacked the screen and set the device on the table as William walked up to him.

"You should be happy," the serious man told him, a salad in one hand, a bouquet of chocolate flowers in the other. "I was talking with the producer and he said the clip they wanted was shot and saved. You're off the hook."

Thanking William for his tossed salad dinner, Sebastian motioned for the other to sit down across from him, but his manager, as usual, refused and instead fished out his own cell phone.

Sebastian had met William Spears when he was twenty-one years old. He was a rising star, his dancing becoming more and more recognized as he grew out of his child-stardom and into the adult world. The manager his parents had hired for him as a child was let go by the time he turned sixteen, and between then, Sebastian had let his parents manage his hectic schedule since they understood it better. Once he had turned twenty, he decided to let his parents have their peace back, and although they were reluctant to let their son go, they eventually handed him his own life to do as he pleased.

He didn't have too much trouble in that one year, but Sebastian couldn't be thankful enough for William walking into his life and offering to manage him. If he hadn't, Sebastian was sure he'd have burned out within another six months, maybe even less. He didn't realize how tiring it could have been between managing himself, and actually performing to the events he scheduled himself for.

Having been a manager for two other rising celebrities a little before Sebastian's time, William proved to be the most precise man Sebastian had ever met. His schedule was neater, not as crowded, and very flexible in case anything popped up. Although the man was strict about being on time and appearing presentable, he was kind enough to take into account that Sebastian still wanted a life outside his hectic and demanding job. They often worked deals between one another, and in turn Sebastian couldn't ask for anyone better.

"So what's my schedule for tomorrow?" he asked, popping the plastic lid off and proceeding to pick out all the cherry tomatoes.

Ever the diligent man, William scrolled through his calendar. "You have a dance appointment with Miss Durless at ten tomorrow, and around one o'clock we'll need to head over to Universal Studios."

Sebastian couldn't recall for what. William sighed at the blank look he received.

"I accepted a call for you last week. They have an interest in casting you for a short film – or voice over, depending on what you're more comfortable with," the man explained, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Ah," the dancer replied with minimal interest. Although he'd been trained to be multi-talented, it was dancing in which he excelled. Askance for a role in a movie or even simply using his voice was a very uncommon thing. Chewing on some lettuce and cucumber, he motioned to the bouquet in his manager's grasp. "Do you have an admirer?"

"Tch," William scoffed, pocketing his phone and setting the delicious flowers on the table as if they burned his hand like acid. "With the way _he _acted, you would think so," he nearly growled, "but the card is addressed to you."

Resisting the urge to just knock the candy off the table, Sebastian pulled the elegant and chocolaty bouquet to him, turning it until he found the card. Opening it, he read the message, "I know the perfect place to dance ~ call me xxx-xxxx" before pushing it away to the other side of the table.

"Grell again?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

William grunted and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "Of course. I was surprised he knew where you would be today."

Sebastian rolled his eyes, scooping up another forkful of food. "When doesn't he know my location?"

In one of those rare moments, Sebastian watched as his manager smirked. "I'm just glad my hard work has paid off in keeping your home address a secret."

Sebastian nodded with a smile. "Thank God for that."

Clearing his throat and straightening, William pulled out his phone yet again as another message called for his attention. Without looking at him, he said, "We'll be leaving quarter after seven; I'll meet you in the side parking lot. You'll need to change appropriately."

The dancer sighed. "Another late-nighter?"

His manager nodded absently, scrolling through the screen. "Yes, the show starts promptly at eight-thirty. You'll be on at nine and -" He abruptly looked to Sebastian, his gaze steely. "And please don't make any remarks about your recent performance in the Caribbean islands – the audience hardly needs to know of all the scandals you pulled."

Sebastian nearly choked with a laugh. "I told you that host offered me that drink. How was I supposed to know the alcohol content compared to the States'? Besides, they weren't scandals, I was merely –"

He received a less than amused look. "You should consider yourself lucky nothing made headliner news, Michaelis." Allowing no following remarks to be made, he turned on his heel, ending the discussion. "I'll see you in half an hour."

Watching his manager walk away, Sebastian returned to his salad with a light grumble. Of course he would follow William's advice, but he couldn't guess what tonight's host had been able to dig up in the past couple weeks. Of course, Sebastian knew it was hardly a topic of issue, but anything that William deemed damaging to his image was off-limits. It was something Sebastian begrudgingly was thankful for – it was like an assurance to his overall safety.

For a while he mulled over the upcoming evening, but looking up he caught sight of the chocolate flowers. Staring at them with slight disgust, Sebastian suddenly felt his mood lift.

Instead of keeping them for himself, he would send them to someone much more deserving.

* * *

He was beginning to feel antsy. Going on the idea that Sebastian was a celebrity with a busy schedule, he knew that a response could take anywhere from one to ten minutes. Ciel could usually tell when the other wasn't able to get to his phone, and that usually happened when he didn't receive a response within fifteen minutes. But for the past half hour, the messages had been bouncing back and forth within minutes.

'Could we maybe talk to one another? Through either the phone or Skype?'

That was his last message. And the longer Sebastian took to reply the more Ciel began to doubt their entire relationship.

It had taken a few days to work up enough courage to even consider typing something like that out. But was he moving too fast – did he sound weird suggesting such a thing? Although he knew they could do things to conceal their identities, Ciel felt as if he were taking a huge leap forward to let this guy hear his voice. But deep down inside, Ciel was itching to hear Sebastian's voice. Not just out of curiosity, but to confirm that it was the famous celebrity dancer.

'We've been at this for almost a month now and I think it'd be more realistic if we could actually talk to one another,' he clarified, inwardly groaning in embarrassment as he sent it.

Setting his phone back down on his desk with a frown, Ciel turned back to his school work, knowing he had to at least pretend to be doing it since his mother was home early today. It wasn't unusual for her to check in on him, and he knew what would happen if he were caught texting.

He just barely made it through two problems when the cell vibrated against the wood. Snatching it, Ciel opened the message.

'Sorry – my manager yelled at me. I think that's a wonderful idea.'

Ciel smiled.

'Skyping would be easier for me. I'm terrible with numbers,' Sebastian continued.

'It would be easier that way – my parents won't ask about strange phone calls.'

'Haha. That sounds great. Should we make a date?'

Nodding to himself, Ciel set his phone down the second he heard footsteps on the wooden staircase down the hallway. Sitting absolutely still and reaching for his pencil, Ciel waited his mother's footsteps out as they made their way down the carpeted hallway before passing his closed bedroom door. Waiting it out for another minute, Ciel finally relaxed and grabbed his phone again.

'Thursday will be best for me. What time?' His fingers were becoming jittery as he waited for a reply.

'Does seven p.m. sound alright?'

'Sounds good.'

Leaning back in his chair, Ciel sucked in his bottom lip, trying to understand why he was acting so nervous all of a sudden. His heart was racing and he felt as if he could fly. "I'm excited," he whispered aloud.

The cell buzzed. 'My screen name is devilstrill-incarnate.' Ciel had to hold back a laugh.

'Are you part of a cult?'

'I might as well be.'

'No, I meant –'

'Haha, I don't think I could actually last in one.'

'Is it out of arrogance, then?'

'Perhaps; but I'll let you in on a little secret.'

'What?'

'I don't just give this out to anyone; my other account is strictly for business – so guard this with your life.'

Squeezing his eyes shut, Ciel tried to wipe the grin off his face. "Stop it," he told himself, unable to comprehend why he felt as if he could completely trust a total stranger he thought was an honest and trustworthy individual. "He could be anyone," he continued, but his own words had little effect on him.

'Mine is earlgrey1412,' he typed to distract himself from confusing thoughts.

'You're fond of tea?'

'A little, I couldn't think of anything better.'

'And 1412, is it a date or something?'

Staring at the question, Ciel let his usual caution take the reins. 'I couldn't think of anything better.'

Yet, as always, Sebastian's response urged Ciel to break down his own defense. 'Hm, I'll figure you out in time, _mon petit chevreuil_.'

* * *

"Hey Ciel, are you alright?"

Tearing his gaze from the window, Ciel caught sight of his friend, Alois. The blonde had an annoyed yet worried expression on his face. Realizing that the class was still in session, he straightened in his seat and turned slightly away. "I'm fine," he whispered.

"You're not taking notes!"

Glancing down, Ciel found that his notebook was nearly blank. Looking at the classroom's clock, he felt a little bad to see that that the class was already half over. He shot Alois a look, which caused the blonde to sigh exasperatedly.

"Now how am I supposed to know what I'm doing?" Alois muttered, turning away with a grumble and letting his head lightly thump against the desk.

Ignoring Alois' mumbling, Ciel tried his hardest to focus on the class, but his mind kept wandering away. Today was Thursday, and he felt as if he couldn't breathe. Seven o'clock couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

He had ten minutes left.

After rushing home and setting his computer up, Ciel had only then realized amidst his nerves and excitement that he was three hours early. To pass the time he left his backpack untouched and wandered the empty house, thinking of things to keep him occupied. Sadly he had little luck.

His mind had run amuck. Possibilities that he'd be speaking with a fifty-year-old pervert or stalker scared him out of his mind, but his gut kept telling him that he would be fine. Yesterday he and Sebastian had agreed that they wouldn't show their faces; they'd only allow one another to hear their voices.

'But what if he has the technology to change his voice to sound younger?' Ciel often reasoned, running his hands through his hair and laughing to himself that he had spun his mind into a mess. 'What if he's just a creep who lives on the other side of town?'

"I'm such a fool," he muttered to himself good four or five times before he locked himself in his room to wait it out.

So now with five minutes and counting, Ciel sat very still at his desk as he logged onto his computer and clicked on the Skype program, then signed into his barely used account Alois had badgered him to get a couple years ago. He couldn't recall the last time he'd used it, but such matters were the last things on his mind as he took to carefully positioning the camera on screen to only show a sliver of his shoulder. Sitting back with a nervous sigh, Ciel silently watched the clock, his eyes swiveling to the screen for Sebastian's screen name as it finally hit seven o'clock.

It was an agonizing two minute wait, but the screen name finally popped up with an invitation ready and waiting. Sitting on the edge of his seat, Ciel moved the mouse to click on it, but paused as his mind bombarded him with all the risks and horrible realities that could result from it. His gaze moved to the "x" box in the corner.

Ciel clicked the invite.

Then suddenly the camera light flickered on and he was peering into a pixilated but unfamiliar and shadowed room, the image of just his shoulder in the upper corner. Holding his breath, Ciel sat in the silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

"…Ciel?"

Relief had never felt so sweet.

* * *

A/N: Ack, I'm so sorry, I meant to have this chapter up on Monday but vacation kept me away from typing it up! Please forgive me. Anyway, thank you for all the wonderfully continued support, it really means a lot to me!

To Lola: Ciel is about 17-18 years old and Sebastian's about 22-23 years old (sorry I couldn't get back to you personally!)


	4. Drift

Chapter Four

Drift

* * *

Clutching to his bed sheets and scrunching his toes, Ciel whimpered as quietly as he could as he recalled his dream. As his right hand glided along the lower half of his body and circled around his unexpected need, the teen panted, his face completely flushed.

'_Slow and passionate…'_ Sebastian's voice slid into his thoughts, _'…there's nothing else like it.'_

His hand was becoming wetter the more he imagined the dancer's voice he had come to recognize and find comforting. Sebastian's voice was like silk, it was flawless. Swallowing, Ciel finally opened his eyes half way, gasping lightly at the self-induced pleasure.

'_It's my favorite…so sensual and calming with a fiery touch.'_

Spreading his legs and throwing his head back Ciel increased his pace, his hips beginning to thrust upwards to meet his hand's ministrations. He bit his lip as a moan dared to escape, his mind just barely reminding him it was only seven o'clock in the morning.

'_Shall I lend you a hand…Ciel?'_

Putting the voice together with the face he had seen months ago, Ciel's breath caught in his throat as he finally released the tension and heat that had built up in his groin and lower stomach. His hand became an outright mess as he rode along with the blissful pleasure, his hips slowly lowering themselves back to the mattress.

Lying there for some time as the waves of pleasure rolled over him, Ciel finally lolled his head to the side to grab some tissues and check on the time. Seven-fourteen a.m.

Cleaning himself up a bit Ciel remained on his bed, throwing his left arm over his eyes with the tiniest of groans as his wits finally sharpened. This would be what, the third or fourth time…?

"There is definitely something wrong with me," Ciel mumbled to himself, but despite his words, he couldn't find it in himself to regret his actions.

He and Sebastian had been Skyping for a good three weeks. They had even made an easy schedule for themselves, and Ciel was able to talk with the dancer a good two or three times a week. Despite his first-time jitters, Sebastian had brushed all his worries away, conversing with him as if they were still texting. To say the least, Ciel felt comfortable by their second Skype session.

But this morning's events had been a very big surprise the first time around. He still hadn't seen Sebastian's face and vice versa. Ciel was only allowed to hear the other's voice, and although he'd never admit it, he had a thousand and one metaphors to describe the dancer's tone and how well his words rolled from his unseen lips.

Ciel had known since he was fifteen that his interests didn't run with women. Despite his strict upbringing, Ciel never felt disgusted with himself or upset in any way about his orientation. To him it was what it was, and he decided then and there that he would keep it a secret. He didn't know how well his parents would take it (they were quite liberal to begin with, but Ciel felt he'd rather be safe than sorry) and he always had thoughts of telling Alois, but Ciel always wound up telling himself that it'd probably be a wrong move on his part. Knowing the blonde, Ciel had a feeling he'd wouldn't be exploited, but rather given a "welcome to the club" patch.

Besides, with school keeping his attention and knowing how Nanticoke Private's students would spread rumors one way or another, Ciel buried his orientation very deep inside, never bothering to acknowledge it for any more than it simply was. To Ciel, it was just another part of him that he felt unnecessary to shout out to the world.

But to have spicy dreams about a man's voice? Ciel would be lying if he said he wasn't aroused by Sebastian's voice and the undertones he sometimes unwittingly produced. And when he recalled or looked up pictures of the dancer while thinking of his deep and smooth vocals, Ciel definitely couldn't refuse the fact that he was turned on by it.

Sitting up Ciel stretched, thinking it over. His face warmed as he realized that he technically still didn't know if Sebastian was who he claimed to be…so in a sense, it was very possible that Ciel was reacting and acting on his desires to some stranger's voice that had the potential to be altered.

Ciel let his hands fall into his head.

"Shower," he told himself eventually, seeing no use in dwelling in such embarrassing and even mortifying thoughts. Getting up, he entered the connected bathroom and turned the water on until it steamed, knowing that his current thoughts wouldn't cause any other issues like his dreams had.

* * *

"But think of it this way, how much money are you spending if you go out to Starbucks every morning for coffee or something?" Ciel questioned Tuesday evening. "It seems like such a waste…why not just make it at home?"

The familiar background sat on his screen. The first couple times Sebastian had not put on all his lights, but only three talks ago Ciel finally asked if he could see what he was looking at. So now, illuminated by two or three more lights, the room displayed bookshelves full with DVDs, pictures, and books on the far wall painted a warm but hardly eccentric red. To the side was the end of a leather couch and on the left was half an opening to what Sebastian had told him was the kitchen. At one point Sebastian (not to Ciel's request) had lowered the camera to show the polished hardwood floors and the front part of the computer desk littered with paperwork and small bottles of energy drinks.

Of course in return Ciel had shown Sebastian the part of his room the camera already displayed (including his bedroom door, coat rack, and a sliver of his wooden dresser), along with a couple of his school books, just to show that he wasn't kidding about how massive they were. At the time Ciel silently prayed he wasn't being and idiot and showing Sebastian too much.

"Some people don't have time to make coffee for themselves," Sebastian replied, the square of his shoulder moving in the corner of the screen. From what Ciel could make out, he appeared to be wearing a dark pinstriped dress shirt.

"Then they should get up earlier," the teen replied smartly, crossing his arms in triumph.

Sebastian was hardly done. "Well, if you take someone like me, I have to get up at five-thirty every morning – save Sundays – take a thirty minute jog, make myself a quick breakfast – usually a bowl of fiber-based cereal – shower, dress, and then drive to whatever studio I have to be at around quarter after seven, or even go out of my way to practice dance on some days. So of course I would stop at some Dunkin' Donuts shop for a cup of coffee while on the go, it's easier and doesn't intervene much into my schedule."

Ciel scowled. Sebastian always had to have the last word. "Get up at five, then," he repeated, feeling silly for being bested once again.

His comment earned him a chuckle from the dancer, and Ciel resisted the urge to move in front of the camera. For the past couple conversations, and as Ciel grew more and more comfortable talking aloud and listening back and laughing, he began to feel a little self-conscious in the fact that he was still wary about showing his face.

'If this truly is Sebastian Michaelis, what difference would it make? He's already seen me once,' the teen would reason, sometimes finding this explanation good enough to make the move and ask to meet face to face. But the more he thought – and Ciel always thought everything through – about the reality he was placed in and all the "what ifs" of the situation, Ciel couldn't help but continue to shy away from even mentioning it.

'But what if he's becoming annoyed with me? What if Sebastian's _been_ ready to show his face?' Ciel thought as the dancer switched topics.

"Uh, y-yeah," Ciel replied, repeating his answer the fifth time in a row. He looked up as he heard shuffling through the webcam screen, and for a moment he freaked when he thought Sebastian would reveal his face. Hardly thinking at all, Ciel ducked away.

"Ciel? Is everything alright?" Sebastian asked a moment later, and turning to look out the corner of his eye, Ciel felt disappointment swarm his system when he was met with the dancer's familiar bookshelves. "You okay?"

Shaking his head to himself for acting so foolishly, Ciel straightened in his chair and resumed his position in front of the camera so only his sweater-clad shoulder was visible. "I'm fine."

"No, you're not," Sebastian deadpanned, and Ciel silently cursed the other's ability to see right through his words, verbal or texted. "You can tell me, it's alright. Have I done anything to upset you?"

Ciel felt his cheeks warm as he stewed in his embarrassment, wondering whether or not to confess what was on his mind. "No," he began, "it's nothing you've done, it's just…"

Staring at the screen, Ciel expected Sebastian to interrupt his silence, but the other remained quiet, giving Ciel his space and time. Sebastian's patience was a quality Ciel had come to appreciate.

Twisting his feet and ankles around the chair legs, Ciel shifted in his seat for a moment, screwing up his courage to just say it. "Are you annoyed with me?" he blurted, instantly cursing himself for saying something so stupid aloud.

"Annoyed?" Sebastian parroted back, sounding confused. "Well, maybe with a bunch of other people, but certainly not you, Ciel." Somehow this didn't make the teen feel any better. "Why, what's up?"

If he could, Ciel would be banging his head on the desk before him, but he thought better of it. He didn't need Sebastian hearing the noise and worrying further about him. So instead he stuck with his previous actions and simply said, "Aren't you annoyed that we haven't spoken face to face yet?"

'Don't you think I'm a coward – the shyest person on the planet – way too cautious?' Ciel continued in his mind.

"Ciel," Sebastian began in that tone of voice the teen couldn't help but feel comforted by. It was like a warm blanket – or a warm pair of arms surrounding him. "Believe me when I say I'm not annoyed with you, I'm very far from it, actually. So you shouldn't worry; we'll talk face to face when you're ready."

Without realizing it Ciel held his breath. It came out with a whooshing gush, one that made Sebastian laugh a little, causing the teen to inwardly groan in embarrassment. Yet despite the overwhelming feeling, Ciel couldn't help but feel relieved. Sebastian's voice held a naked honesty and genuine kindness, reassuring Ciel that what he said was true, and that he could indeed wait for Ciel to make up his mind.

"Thanks," he replied in a small voice, an equally small smile curving his lips at the same time. "Then…then can we do it on Thursday? See one another, I mean?"

The dancer's voice dropped to the one Ciel often heard in his dreams. "It's a date, _mon petit chevreuil_."

* * *

His whole world was crumbling around him. He couldn't move, couldn't speak, and couldn't think properly. A heavy arm swung to hang behind his neck and then an equally heavy weight settled against him as Alois looked over his shoulder to see what the matter was.

"Hey Ciel, you alright?" the blonde asked, furrowing his brows. Looking at the test in his friend's hands, Alois joked, "Haha, I totally failed that – I think the whole class did; you're so lucky."

Ciel said nothing, unable to absorb his friend's words. His blue eyes merely continued to stare, possibly in the hopes of changing the letter grade scrawled at the top of the paper.

The teen shook his head. He'd gotten a "B" grade. In advanced calculus of all classes.

It wasn't real, it was just a bad dream – a nightmare – he was just imagining things. Ciel lifted his head and took a breath, closed his eyes and looked back down. The "B" was still there, and his gut churned uncomfortably. He had studied so hard…why did it turn out like this?

"Ciel!" Alois was calling by this point, lightly shaking his shoulders before plucking the paper from his hands. "Ciel, what the hell's wrong with you?"

Blinking out of his stupor, Ciel reined himself in from having a panic attack as he watched Alois wave the test around like was nothing and praising him a good job done. "Give that back to me, Alois," he managed to say.

The blonde cocked his head and realization hit his expression. His light-blue eyes grew wide. "Oh no, I see what's happening, Ciel."

"Nothing's happening," the teen defended, but it was already too late.

"Heh, it's been a while since you've gotten anything less than an 'A'," Alois continued, wrapping an arm around the smaller teen and kicking Ciel's locker close with his foot as he set them both on the move. "But you know what will make you feel better?"

There was only one answer: nothing.

"There's a new ice-cream shop down the street from the grocery store; I know it's almost mid-October, but they're a permanent establishment that's open year-round," Alois babbled on, more or less pushing Ciel along beside him and out the school's front entrance since the last bell had rung a while ago. When they arrived at Alois' car, Ciel finally found the strength to push away.

"Sorry, Alois, I'm…" He reached for the test still in his friend's hand, his eyes becoming more or less hollow as he caught sight of the "B" again. "I think I'm gonna go home and study."

"Aw, c'mon Ciel, don't be like that," Alois protested as he started to walk to his own car. His hand was caught mid-stride and the blonde had to physically tear Ciel around to look at him. "It isn't the end of the world because you got a "B" on a test. These things happen to everyone – trust me."

Tugging his hand back, Ciel merely replied, "I'll see you tomorrow."

The car-ride home was agonizing. He placed his test in his bag so he wouldn't have to look at it, but even then he felt as if its mere presence was burning him up. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly, weighing his options.

He'd been spending too much time texting and Skyping, he knew. He wasn't studying as much as he used to, and his grade had suffered for his slacking off.

Should he show and tell his parents about his bad grade? Should he hide it? No, they knew he had a test today, they always knew when his tests were. It would be no use. There would be no evading them. So what could he do?

Would he be punished? Ciel thought back a long time, uncertain when he brought home a bad grade last. At last he remembered when he'd gotten a "C" on a geography test in his first year at Nanticoke Private and how his parents had taken away his television privileges as well as having given him a strict curfew and longer study hours that stuck to this very day.

With a heavy stomach and a horrible feeling, Ciel wondered what they'd take away from him this time.

By the time he pulled into the driveway, he knew exactly what they'd take away.

To make matters worse, his mother was already home.

* * *

"Five, six, seven, eight."

Moving in complete fluidity, the couple danced to the rhythmic beat of Latin music, going perfectly over the steps and turns of the rumba. It was just the two of them in the room, a private practice session. A floor to ceiling wall of mirrors reflected their movements, though neither paid attention to their doppelgangers, their minds too busy with keeping with the beat and being precise in their movements.

Well, at least one partner was concentrating.

"Rah-! Sebastian Michaelis, if you step on my foot one more time I'll-"

Ducking a slap to the face, Sebastian raised his hands in defense, apologizing profusely and running a hand through his hair as he stepped away from the madam. "I'm sorry, Ann, I'm not having the best of days."

Angelina pinched the bridge of her nose with a sigh. "You're lucky you're so attractive – you know I wouldn't tolerate this sloppiness otherwise!" she exclaimed after a moment, taking Sebastian aback by the strange comment.

Dancer extraordinaire, Angelina Durless was and still retained many top-notch titles for her career in dancing. Quick on her feet from a young age she grew up as a child prodigy, her family hauling her to dance competitions across the country and around the world. By the time she was twenty-one and allowed to manage herself, her career launched tenfold and she was one of the most desired dancers in the country, if not the world. Performing for royals, presidents, and sometimes in movies and charity functions, Angelina earned herself a respectable name, popularity, and life.

Now in her mid-forties and not quite as flexible as she once used to be, she had taken to instructing young dancers who displayed great promise. She and Sebastian had met when the latter was only twelve years old.

Apologizing yet again because it was all he could think of doing, Sebastian caught sight of the woman's glittering wedding band. It was such a small thing, but he had never seen her without it, even after her husband passed four years ago. Those days were a bit fuzzy for him, as her instructions had been come and go as she sorted out things for herself. However, when she did reappear on a regular basis, Sebastian wouldn't have known that her husband had passed at all – her ever-bubbly personality had bounced back – and for that he was thankful. He was sure he wouldn't be where he resided today if she hadn't.

"Is there anything tripping you up in the routine itself?" Angelina asked seriously this time, her auburn eyes questioning. "Or are you sleep deprived again? Don't make me tell William on you."

Sebastian shook his head. They'd been at the routine for weeks now, and he was sure he had it down to a "t". "Just some personal stuff, I'll be okay."

Never one to truly prod into others' affairs, Angelina simply nodded and walked back over to the stereo system. "We'll start at the top in five – I need a drink."

Watching her go, Sebastian returned to his bag in the back of the room and sat down on the low bench more suitable to children. Pulling out his black wife beater to air out his sweaty chest, the dancer took out his phone and scrolled through the messages he'd missed in the last hour. Two were from his manager, one from his mother concerning his days off, and a slew of miscellaneous from old friends and celebrity friends looking to fool around in the next couple nights.

Sebastian outright frowned when he couldn't find Ciel's name anywhere.

Today was Monday. Ciel hadn't shown up on Thursday like promised, or on Sunday afternoon.

It hurt, Sebastian couldn't lie. He had been excited at the prospect that Ciel was ready to move on and show his face. Every day he was beginning to forget the little details he used to remember from the day they'd first met. The color of Ciel's hair, how smooth his skin was, the small pout on those lips…the only detail Sebastian was certain of now was Ciel's large cerulean eyes, his little deer.

He also couldn't lie that he couldn't wait to show and prove to Ciel that he was indeed _the_ Sebastian Michaelis.

But what had happened to Ciel? Was he frightened of showing his face and cancelled at the last minute without tell him anything? Certainly he would at least text Sebastian about it – somehow the whole scenario seemed very unlike something Ciel would do.

From what he'd been able to gather, Ciel was quite a shy person. In the beginning Sebastian would be the one to lead the conversation, but eventually the teen began to open up to him. Granted, Sebastian was pretty sure Ciel was using heavy caution (who was he to blame?) but there were glimpses he could make out in their talks and texts that gave the boy's personality away. Other than that, Ciel was extremely smart – mostly book smart, Sebastian was still trying to figure out how street smart – and could easily be flustered. He certainly wouldn't forget the first time he heard Ciel's embarrassed voice…

Sending a reply to William, Sebastian glanced up to see whether or not Ann had come back. Confirming that she hadn't, Sebastian leaned back against the wall and stretched his legs and rolled his ankles until they cracked before pointing his sore toes. He would have to buy new shoes soon.

What if something bad happened to Ciel? Sebastian thought suddenly, his eyes lazily going around the sunlit room. Since Friday he'd sent the teen a text or two a day, asking if everything was alright or if something happened. None of his texts were replied to, and only now Sebastian felt his thoughts drifting to the worst-case scenarios. What if Ciel were dead?

Sliding his phone back into his bag, Sebastian shook his head with a sigh. "Maybe I am sleep deprived."

A clap of hands caught his attention, and looking up he spotted Ann by the stereo before walking up to him as he mirrored her. "We're starting from the top," she said, hitting a button on the remote before sliding it into her sports bra. Grabbing one another's hands as the music started, she continued, "Watch your feet and keep your balance – not only are you stepping on my feet, but you're leaning forward too much. I don't feel like falling today, and I've already had a few too many close calls."

Offering an understanding smile, Sebastian took the older woman firmly in his grasp. "I'll do my best."

"Five, six, seven, eight."

* * *

Sebastian's phone buzzed the minute he walked out of the shower, towel around his waist and a smaller one around his head before dropping around his shoulders. Not thinking much of it – it was a week since his distracted dance practice with Miss Durless – Sebastian padded over to his phone on the nightstand to see who or what it was.

'Hey.'

It was from Ciel. Sebastian's fingers flew across the screen without a second thought.

'Are you alright?'

'Where have you been?'

'Is everything okay?'

'You're not hurt or breathing through a tube, are you?'

'You had me really worried.'

'I was upset.'

"I was upset," Sebastian repeated at last to himself. Staring at the small device in his hands, he sat down with a confused kind of slump, only just now realizing how upset he truly was. In fact, now that he thought about it, he was borderline mad. Yet he reined the sudden onslaught of emotions in, knowing better than to assume that Ciel had just ditched him. Ciel always had a reason.

Ciel didn't reply for a time, but Sebastian felt in his gut that the teen had gotten his various concerns and that he would reply soon. Meanwhile, along with his sudden recognition of repressed anger, it suddenly dawned on Sebastian how much he cared for Ciel. For a moment he demanded of himself proof, but just one look at all the messages he'd just sent became proof enough. Sebastian's chest constricted.

"Do I like Ciel?" Sebastian asked himself, finding no other way to confirm such a thing. "Yes," he replied.

"Have I fallen for Ciel?" was the next question, and staring at his phone and going over all the interaction he'd had with the teen up to this point, Sebastian couldn't help but feel unsure. If he said yes, wouldn't that be rushing it?

The phone buzzed.

'I'm sorry,' it read, and Sebastian could swear he heard Ciel say it aloud. Then the device vibrated again.

'Can I see you?'

The dancer's fingers fumbled to reply, 'yes.'

The next couple minutes passed in a blur as he went to the other room where his computer was set up. Booting it up, he counted the minutes that passed by until he was able to log in to his Skype account and send an invite to Ciel, then waiting for the earlgrey1412 username to pop up and confirm. Finally Ciel's name came up, and then Sebastian's camera flicked on. He quickly panned it to his shoulder, never-minding the fact that he was shirtless.

"Ciel?" he asked, finding it unusual for the teen's room to be dark. He couldn't even make out the bedroom door in the background. Was there a glitch? "You there?"

"I am," came the quiet reply, and Sebastian was so relieved he thought nothing of it.

"You want to set the cameras on three?" he asked, excitement at what was about to happen bubbling in his stomach. He bit his lip to keep from smiling like an idiotic adolescent.

"Yeah."

Sebastian took a breath and exhaled. "Alright. One…two…three!"

With a flick of his wrist on top of the computer screen he turned and angled the camera until he was fully visible from the chest up. He could care less about his own nakedness (it would be easy enough to explain) as his eyes immediately shot to the screen in hopes of finally seeing Ciel.

The camera was shifting and at one point it went completely black. Yet the noise from Ciel continued, and Sebastian deduced that his camera was being a pain, so he sat on the edge of his seat patiently until a flicker of light flashed across the screen before at long last Ciel finally came into view.

Sebastian's eyes widened as he stared at the screen. "You're –"

* * *

A/N: You guys have no idea how long I've wanted to write a cliffhanger. I hope this one's good (evil laugh). Also, sorry for the late update – spending a good sixteen-plus hours cleaning five-flight staircases does things to you, I wouldn't recommend it. Anyway, thank you for all of your continued support in reading, reviewing, favoring, and alerting! Keep the feedback coming!


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